Pokorný Petr

Prof., ThDr., DrSc., Dr. h. c. mult.
Born April 21, 1933 in Brno, † 2020 

• Biblical Studies: New Testament, hermeneutics
• Greek literature of late antiquity
• Member of Learned Society since 2003 (2012- President)

Educational and professional preparation

• 1943-1951, Classical secondary school, Brno;
• 1951, began study of Protestant theology (Comenius faculty) and extra mural
  study of Greek literature (Charles University, with prof. K. Svoboda);
• 1959, thesis submitted (defense was not allowed), ThDr. in 1963;
• 1958, two months of studies in Bonn;
• 1964 one term in Oxford (New Testament and Coptic) and for a half term research in the Haardt Institute for Classical Studies;
• 1967, habilitation in New Testament exegesis;
• 1968, dissertation in Greek literature (CSc.);
• 1970, Associated professor and 1972 Professor, Protestant theological faculty, Prague;
• 1978, member, Nag Hammadi III expedition in Upper Egypt;
• 1986-1987 and 1992, for two terms visiting professor in Pittsburgh, PA
  (Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and 1986 Duquesne University) and teacher
  Summer School for Postgraduates, Princeton Theological Seminary;
• 1988-89, substitute professor at University Tübingen, 1995-1995 and 1999
  Research fellow there;
• 1993, DrSc. in Greek literature;
• 2003, Fellow of the Center of Theological Inquiry in Princeton, NJ, and 2003-
  2004 and 2007, resident research fellow there;
• 2005 series of lectures opening the curriculum of the Biblical Institute at the
  Philological Faculty of the St. Petersburgh State University;
• 2006 summer term, research at the Aristotelian University in Thessaloniki;
• 2010 winter term, research fellow in Forschungszentrum für internationale und
  interdisziplinäre Theologie (Heidelberg University).

Employment and academic positions

• 1957-1967 minister of Protestant Church (Czech Brethren) in Prague
• 1967-1968 lecturer at the University of Greifswald (Germany)
• 1968-1999 full time teaching at the Faculty of Protestant Theology in Prague (since 1990 included into Charles University), 1995-1998 dean.
• 1999 part time professor at the Faculty and Senior research fellow (2001-2010 director) of the Center of Biblical Studies of the Academy of Sciences and Charles University in Prague

Membership in selected domestic scientific bodies

• 1962-1985, Member of the working group for the Czech Ecumenical Bible
  Translation;
• 1998-2002, Member, Council of the Government of Czech Republic for
  Research and Development

Membership and positions in international organizations and societies

• since 1967, Member (1994-1995 President), Studiorum Novi Testamenti Societas;
• 1979-1996, Member (1991-1996 Chairman) of the Scholarly Forum of the United Bible Societies

Notable awards

• 1985, Silver Medal of the Roman Catholic Church for the Ecumenical Bible translation
• 1995, Humboldt Award (for lifelong work)
• 1995, Foreign Member, Academy of Sciences in Göttingen (Germany)
• 1998, Dr. h. c. University in Bonn
• 1999, Award, Minister of Education (for research)
• 2000, Dr. h. c. Karólyi University in Budapest
• 2004, Josef Dobrovský medal of the Academy of Sciences
• 2005, State Award for Merits
  Volumes in honour of PP
  1988 EΠITOAYTO I. - Czech articles, II - English and German articles.
  ETF UK and Mlýn: Praha – Třebenice, 1998
  Testimony and Interpretation. Early Christology in Its Judaeo-Hellenistic
  Milieu, ed. by J. Mrázek and J. Roskovec (JSNTSSS 272), London – New
  York: T. & T. Clark International, 2004
  Comenius medal, Protestant Faculty of Charles University
• 2013 Award SVU
• 2015 Dr. h. c. St. Petersbourg State University

Selected publications

• Počátky gnose (Beginnings of Gnosticism), Prague: Academia, 1968 (2^nd ed. 1969)
• Die Entstehung des Christologie, Berlin: EVA, 1986; lic. Stuttgart: Calwer; 1985; English Translation Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1987; paperback ibid. 1997, Czech translation Praha: Kalich, 1988
• Der Brief der Paulus an die Kolosser (ThHKNT 10/1), Berlin: EVA, 1978, 2^nd ed. 1990; English Translation: Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1991
• Der Brief des Paulus an die Epheser (ThHKNT 10/2). Leipzig: Evangelische Verlagsanstalt 1992, XXIV + 265 s.; improved 2^nd ed. 2013
• Theologie der lukanischen Schriften (FRLANT 174), Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht 1998
• (co-author U. Heckel) Einleitung in das Neue Testament. Seine Literatur und Theologie im Überblick (UTB), Tübingen: Mohr-Siebeck, 2007; Russian translation 2012, Czech transl. 2013
• Hermeneutics as a Theory of Understanding, Grand Rapids, MI – Cambridge,
  U.K.: Eerdmans, 2011, Czech version Praha: Vyšehrad, 2005
• A Commentary on the Gospel of Thomas (JChTC – 5), New York – London:
  T. & T. Clark International,f 2009, paperback reprint 2012
• From the Gospel to the Gospels. History, Theology and impact of the biblical term „euangelion“, BZNW 195) Berlin - Boston: De Gruyter 2013
• Jesus in Geschichte und Bekenntnis, WUNT 355, Tübingen: Mohr – Siebeck 2016

Member of the editorial board of the New Testament Studies (Cambridge) 1980–1983 a 1993–1996; since 1998 member of the editorial advisory panel of the Journal of Greco-Roman Christianity and Judaism (Los Angeles), 99 articles, translations, textbooks, popular publications, reviews